


Run, Boy, Run.

by thegreatgayjatsby



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Canon-Compliant, Castle HQ, Character devlopment, Cleaning Levi, Cute, Developing a relationship, First work in the fandom!, Fluff, Fluffy, Frequent updates, Hanji's Experiments, He's like 16/17, Horses and horse know-how, Kawaii Babies, Levi getting the shit scared out of him, Levi struggling with his feelings, Levi trying to be responsible, M/M, Maybe a little drama, No angst!, Shippy, Squinting Required for Ereri (in the first chapter), Titan!Eren, Titans kind of make the world dramatic, Titans messing everything up, Underage Eren, aot - Freeform, in progress, injuries, snk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-15
Updated: 2014-03-03
Packaged: 2018-01-08 20:31:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1137068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegreatgayjatsby/pseuds/thegreatgayjatsby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi's world momentarily dissolves into a wave of steam and the solid heat of a set of fingers the width of his chest picking him up, but he can feel the intelligence in the constricting embrace, and he finds himself literally in the palm of Eren's hand.</p>
<p>Or, alternatively, chronologically how Corporal Levi decided to put up with the insufferable Eren Jaeger and then went ahead and fell harder for him then he would from malfunctioning 3DMG. </p>
<p>
  <i> Run, boy, run; this world is not meant for you. Run, boy, run; they're trying to catch you. <i></i></i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Eren Jaeger is Actually a Big Baby, Even When He's a 15-M-Class Titan.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I realized half way through writing this that Titan!Eren, isn't as sensitive as he's made out to be in this, so I'm sorry for the lack of that one aspect. However, it worked with the fic, so.  
> It almost surprised me, the lack of canon-compliant works in this fandom, let alone this ship. They're all coffee-shop-AUs! (Not that I'm against them, or anything, but this fandom just aches for some canon love. There's too much drama and opportunity to waste.)  
> Please leave a comment with your thoughts and if I should continue this!

“Hanji, are you sure this will work?”

Jaeger sounded reluctant to go through with the experiment, Hanji’s latest scheme devised to collect more information about the boy’s Titan form. Levi couldn’t blame him, not really. The last time he’d transformed, it had been to pick up a spoon. A teaspoon, nonetheless. Although Hanji had hypothesized Eren needed a reason to change, a specific task at hand to concentrate his energy, it was clear to Levi just how disappointed Jaeger was. 

The boy had been more strung out with nerves than usual, and Hanji’s enthusiasm about the Titan-Shifting Project was grating down on his performance. Not only was Jaeger more short-tempered than usual, he’d been lacking his normal to-a-tee level of focus. It hadn’t really impeded on anything except his cleaning, eating, and sleeping habits, but Levi was concerned with the teen’s health. 

This was the last of Hanji’s little experiments he was willing to support unless it went well. He couldn’t let Jaeger get too frustrated. The last thing anyone in the Survey Corps wanted was to watch Eren lose control of his Titan form again. It had been horrifying enough the first time, and it had taken hours of careful reconciliation before the team would so much as let the boy walk a yard without an escort. 

To say the least, Levi was not keen to let such tension burrow into his team again. The Levi Squad was the Levi Squad, and he was not willing to let even the “Hope of Humanity” tear them apart. As much as he was hesitant to admit to any but himself, his squad was his family. He trusted them, but he had seen their lack of trust in him when Eren had transformed last. Levi’s core ached with the need to rectify the situation.

Arms folded over his chest and his eyes half-lidded with steely disinterest, Levi watched as Hanji bent herself over the well, calling down to Eren. The boy’s voice echoed up the stone shaft, warbling slightly from the discontinued sound, when he replied to Hanji’s insistence that everything was “under control and a-okay!”. 

“I just don’t want anything to go wrong again.” Eren shouted up, wringing his hands together under the shadow cast by Hanji blocking out the sunlight.

It took him a moment of internal debate before stalking over the few feet of ground to peer down into the darkness at Jaeger. “If you’re uncomfortable with the experiment, say so.” He said coldly, pursing his lips slightly. 

“N-no, Captain, it isn’t that! I just want to make sure nothing bad happens!” He swung his right arm up into a surprised half-salute, thumping his chest just over the 3DMG strap. 

Levi inclined his head slightly, chin dipping so his feathery bangs fell over his broad, pale, forehead. “Very well. Are you ready, then?” He inquired, growing slightly impatient and hovering so he didn’t come into contact with the filthy surface of the well’s wall. 

“Yes, Captain!” Eren cried, raising one hand to his mouth in preparation for the transformation, his green eyes shining with determination.

Levi exhaled softly at the sight of his resolve and nodded, following Hanji away from the rim of the well. The Titan-obsessed woman pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and trotted off to the line of the Levi Squad, standing before them and nearly bouncing on her heels from how thrilled she was. 

The Corporal had only taken a few steps before pausing and turning on his heel, beginning to say, “And Jaeger-” 

Before he could utter another sound, heat rushed up in a wave, knocking him off balance and whipping his cape too and fro behind him, the cloth snapping. Steam exploded from the well, engulfing him and impeding his vision. He briefly saw a lightning-esque flash of gold and emerald, and then he was weightless, a deafening roar ringing in his ears. The steam filled his lungs and he couldn’t breathe, coughing as he felt a firm, burning pressure against his abdomen. 

Levi’s feet left the ground and he suddenly understood what was happening. Eren’s finger’s, nearly the thickness of Levi’s chest, curled around him and lifted, carrying him up away from the security of solid ground. He heard someone scream, shrill and piercing as he was lifted, and he realized faintly that it was him. 

Thrashing his legs the moment his senses returned to his confusion-addled mind, Levi breathed in sharply, choking on steam. His arms were solidly pinned to his sides and there was no way he’d be able to reach his 3DMG blades without dislocating his shoulders or breaking his arms. He felt his foot briefly make contact with something fleshy-Eren’s wrist, he decided after a moment. 

The burning heat of Eren’s palm and fingers was making him sweat, and it was uncomfortably tight in the palm of the Titan’s hand. He kicked out violently, struggling against the stifling sensation of being held there. Eren growled deep in the back of his throat and Levi froze, eyes widening and his lips curling back in a snarl of his own. 

Eren took a moment to loosen his fingers a little, still pressing them against Levi’s skin but no longer constricting him to the heel of his gargantuan hand. Levi, panting and disheveled, looked up to find himself directly adjacent to the tip of Eren’s nose, gazing right into a vibrant green eye that was half as tall as he was.

Intelligence shone deep in the pupil, Levi realized with a heaving sigh of relief, before anger surged through him. “Jaeger!” He bellowed, clawing at the tender skin between Eren’s index finger and thumb.  
Eren’s hand tensed momentarily, and then relaxed again, and the Titan blinked slowly. Levi found it highly disconcerting the way his first eyelid went down in an almost translucent sheen, and the second in a hard sheet of skin. His throat and mouth went dry, and Eren slowly opened his hand so Levi could crawl onto his knees, shaky and weak-limbed.

Faintly, he heard the cries of his squad and Hanji, appropriately calling out to their Captain and Eren. It took him a brief second to stand up fully, wrapping one arm around Eren’s thumb and resting the toe of his boot against the curve of muscle that defined the base of his wrist meeting the heel of his hand. 

It was adrenalizing to have such powerful jaws so close to himself, and he couldn’t bare to not tremble a little before the alabaster teeth. They weren’t particularly sharp, but the muscles running up from his neck were more than perturbing to even such an experienced member of the Survey Corps.

The Titan blinked again and drew Levi’s frightened gaze away from his mouth, a low hum forming in his throat until Levi could see the muscles contracting under layers of skin. Not entirely certain as to what was going on, he swallowed thickly and extended his free arm, fingers outstretched. Feather-light and cautious, he brushed his fingertips over the sand-papery skin of Eren’s cheek. 

A pleased sound rumbled in his chest, and the Titan shifted his hand a little closer to let Levi take a slow, hesitant step onto his shoulder, using his hair as a guideline. He wrapped several thick, ropey strands around his upper arms and swayed a little as he crossed the distance between Eren’s steady palm and his slowly rising and falling shoulder.

When he had a good grip, he reached out and ran his hand over the curve of Eren’s sharply sloping ear. The shell was firm and rough, and he slowly ghosted his thumb over the skin until Eren twitched a little, his entire body moving under Levi’s feet.

Levi clutched frantically at his ear and hair at the same time, digging his fingertips into angled skin. Eren made a soft noise of discontent and Levi immediately switched to only holding the strands of hair, the muscles of Eren’s shoulder undulating under his pristine boots.

When the Titan fell still again, Levi barely registered the sing of 3DMG cables before Petra was perched on Eren’s chest, the harpoon having latched onto the Titan just below Levi’s feet. Eren didn’t appear to register the other human climbing on him, emerald gaze focused solely on Levi. 

Levi, on the other hand, turned to her and spat, “What are you doing stabbing him like that?” in an articulately confrotational tone. 

Petra looked entirely surprised, eyes wide and blades drawn. “C-Captain, we thought he was going to hurt you!” She exclaimed defensively. 

Eren made a chirping noise, and Levi patted his cheek again. “We’re doing fine, aren’t we, Jaeger?” He asked in a dark tone.

The Titan chirped again, the noise surprisingly high-pitched for a creature of such Amazonian size. Levi nodded curtly, waving his hand in a dismissive way. “Go, Petra. I’ve got this under control.”

She looked doubtful for a moment, and he glowered until she silently sheathed her blades and sprang from Eren’s chest, soaring through the air back to the ground. Levi took the opportunity to follow her descent with his eyes. Eren appeared to have his one arm free, dangling casually at his side, and the other pinned tight against his body by the well. 

Levi snorted derisively at the awkward position of his steed and used his hair to lean back over open air and swing in front of his face. “A little cramped in there, aren’t we?” He asked lightly, his eyes back to their normal half-lidded disinterested position. 

Eren’s mouth opened to reveal a gaping maw, another wave of heat hitting him in the form of a yawn and putrid stench. Levi gagged and slackened his grip to drop a few feet out of the line of filth. “What have you been eating?” He snapped, before quickly adding, “No, don’t answer that. I don’t need to know.”

The Titan closed his mouth in a decidedly ashamed manner, throat vibrating in a groan of apology. Levi nodded in exasperated acceptance, patting the other’s cheek firmly. “If you weren’t so large I would suggest beginning an operation in which I clean your damned teeth.” The Captain groused, reaching out with his free hand to motion for Eren’s. 

Eren raised his arm at an awkward angle, and Levi stepped into his palm again, gripping his thumb for balance. “Put me down, brat.” He ordered, attempting to look like he was in control of the situation.

Green eyes shimmering, he made a pathetically grumpy noise at the Corporal, who only raised both eyebrows and pointed at the ground. “Today, you stubborn thing.” 

Eren moaned and slowly bent his whole self in an attempt to stay close to Levi, resting out of the well with the side of his face pressed against the ground and his elbow awkwardly wedged between his side and the lip of the well. Levi shook his head and hopped off of his hand, neatly landing the last yard to the ground. 

He nodded in approval and pressed both hands on the curve of Eren’s jaw, scratching a little. A solid thud came from within the well, and Eren made a pleased noise again, arching his back so he could nudge the tip of his broad nose against Levi’s chest.

The Corporal slapped the impudent nose and received a huff of hot hair blowing his clothes and hair out of his face. Levi sighed and gently continued his scratching, the thumping from underground coming in short, repetitive bouts. Hanji, from somewhere behind them, laughed gleefully and bounded over to ask the Titan questions.

“Can I draw a sample, here, Eren?” She inquired as she was sticking an at least foot-long needle from a rather large syringe into his wrist. 

Eren mewled, and Levi quieted him by running his hands up behind his ear, leaning back against his shoulder and scratching firmly. The Titan’s mouth opened and his tongue lolled out in pleasure as Hanji drew blood. 

The Captain snorted and transitioned from rough scratching to tickling, drawing a series of noises from Eren as Hanji continued with her experimenting. When she finished, Levi positioned himself to look him in the eyes. “I’m going to cut you out now, understand?” 

Eren inclined his head the best he could in what appeared to be a nod, and Levi returned it before pulling the triggers of his 3DMG. The cords hissed as he swung up from the ground to the wall of the nearby castle, running along the stones parallel to the ground before kicking off and sailing back towards the Titan, whose neck was barred as it had been.

He took a deep breath and thrust the blades forward and then to the side as he passed by, slicing a good chunk of flesh and penetrating the muscles deep enough to make Eren yowl in pain. Levi grit his teeth in preparation for the next strike and was surprised to see the cobwebs of skin already beginning to reappear. 

He snarled and came in from a different angle at a faster pace, cutting deeper and just about in the same place. Levi kicked the slab of flesh out of his way as he landed between Eren’s shoulder blades, sheathing his swords and reaching shoulder-deep into the viscera until he could grab Eren under the arms and pull him out.

After a minute of struggling with the suction of the blood and innards, Levi fell backwards in a heap with a Jaeger on top of him, panting heavily from the exertion of using so much upper body strength. (Not that it was difficult for him, as he was an experienced soldier with perfect control over his 3DMG.) 

Eren blearily gazed up at him from the ground when they recovered from the dizzying, several-yard fall from the top of the Titan carcass. Without bothering to inquire yet about the affection and attention, Levi simply held him against his chest, breathing hard. 

It seemed the excitement of being held by a Titan and the way Eren had looked at him caught up, and he sank into a haze of Jaeger...Jaeger...jaegeraegerjaegeraegerjaeger...


	2. Always His Fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren wake up, and Levi knows it's Jaeger's fault he's got all these damn emotions swimming around his head. It's always Jaeger's fault.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I understand this chapter is a little shorter than the other, but hey, I updated again within 24 hours. Originally I wasn't really planning for this to be a multichapter work, but I suppose my muse thinks otherwise. Also I finished the anime today, and I'm going to start on the manga.   
> My goodness, this has received such a positive response! Thank you for such kind comments, and please, tell me what you think! Your words are great and they're very inspiring!

The first thing Levi became conscious of when he awoke was the lull of voices. A melody of confusion drifted through his mind, and his vision swam, a blur of color and sound. As his cognizance sharpened and he returned to reality, he became aware of a solid warmth by his side, lingering just inches from his left shoulder. 

Jaeger, he realized after a moment of bleary consideration and blank staring. 

The boy was curled in on himself, dressed only in a pair of dark sleeping pants and his usual beige shirt. His breath was coming in soft wafts of hot air over Levi’s bare collarbone, and the Corporal found himself smiling at the sensation, mind still addled with bewilderment. 

“The Captain’s awake!”, exclaimed Hanji from across the room, shoving herself past Gunther into the cell.

The cell? Levi struggled to sit up, looking around and blinking slowly to clear his head. The cell. Ah. Jaeger’s cell. 

Auruo shook his head and nudged Gunther back into place as they continued discussing proper ways to dismount a horse using 3DMG at different speeds. It appeared all of Squad Levi was in the dungeon with them, and Hanji, a diary full of Titan-related notes in her arms as she bounced over and sat on the side of the bed.

“How was it like to be so close to a Titan?” She asked eagerly, bending over and leaning in close to his personal space.

Levi wrinkled his nose and turned his gaze to silently appraise the resting teen beside him, one hand reaching out and touching his forehead to gauge his temperature. “Lucky for us, the brat doesn’t seem to have a fever...” Levi groused, glancing back at Hanji and wiping his hand on the blankets in a force of habit. 

Petra chose that moment to chime in, adding, “He’s just entirely wiped out, he needs to sleep. We didn’t want to separate him from you because he got upset and nearly shifted back when we tried to bring you up to your quarters, Captain.” 

Levi took a moment to process and digest the information, then turned his attention to the boy, whose hand had fallen to the side when Levi had sat up, it having been curled over his chest, and more specifically, his heart. That particular fact struck a twist of anxiety through Levi, and he took a deep breath, eyes widening. 

“I...see. Hanji, did you collect your samples and such?” He asked curtly, nearly giving himself whiplash from how fast he turned to face the woman.

She nodded quickly, hair flying into her eyes and an almost maniacal grin crossing her face. “You can bet anything I did!” She confirmed firmly, standing and striding from the cell as if reminded of something. “I’m gonna’ go check on that slab of meat...” She muttered, pushing her glasses up the bride of her nose as she went.

Out in the dim hallway, Auruo straightened his cravat and stood up from where he’d been slouching against the wall with Gunther and Erd. “Are you sure you’re doing alright, Captain?” He asked, eyes raking over Levi’s expressionless face almost inquisitively.

Levi gave a curt nod. “Thank you, all. I can handle Jaeger from here. Dismissed.” He said, tone of voice leaving no place for argument. 

The Squad looked hesitant as group, reluctantly slinking down the hallway with Petra occasionally casting a suspicious look over her shoulder every few yards. When they turned the corner, footsteps echoing on the stairs, only then did Levi breathe a sigh of relief, feeling guilty for being so unnecessarily blunt.

A single, cautious hand crept onto the posterior of his, which was pressed flat against the mattress so he could lean back and support himself. He inhaled sharply and turned, eyes narrowed and fixed on Jaeger’s face, the boy’s features still written with sleep. 

“C-Captain?” He asked, voice rough with exhaustion. “Where...?”

Levi’s skin pebbled with goosebumps at the sensation of dragging his hand out from beneath Eren’s, and he replied coarsely, “Your cell. We’ve been out for quite awhile, apparently.” 

Eren seemed to take a minute to process what had happened, then nodded slowly. “Oh. Well...I guess then...” He slammed his gaze to his knees and bite hard into his lower lip, almost hard enough to make Levi worry for an undesired transformation.

“So that means...the experiment was successful, then?” He finished asking, the muscles in his neck contracting as he swallowed slowly. 

“I would assume so, except for the heart attack you damn near gave me.” Levi commented in a fiercely accusatory tone, using the usually repressed feelings of attraction and channelling them into a burst of anger.

There was nothing more Levi hated than not being in control of his emotions. In the past when he lived on the streets as a petty, then more advanced criminal, emotional response had been everything. It could either make or break a man. 

Eren, on the other hand, seemed unable to grasp this concept, and only proved so by fisting his hands in the sheets over his knees. “I’m s-sorry, Captain. You’re uninjured, right?” The boy demanded, voice tight with anxiety.

Levi sighed softly and in exasperation before inclining his head slightly. “Yes, I’m absolutely fine. Although it appears the exertion from such a long week and then almost being eaten got to me, and I passed out.” He admitted, regretting having had been so weak in front of his entire squad.

Eren’s eyes widened minutely and he looked back up, searching Levi’s face with an intensity that matched Levi’s responding gaze. The moment seemed to stretch between them, and Levi found his chest constricting with emotion. “Damn brat.” He growled, swinging his legs out and sliding out of bed in one fluid movement.

The boy was taken aback for a moment, but other than that, he seemed fine. “O-Oh. I...I’m sorry, Captain. It was my fault, and I won’t let it happen again!” His fist thumped solidly against his chest as he sat up and saluted, looking entirely too serious.

His confidence and determination only served to irritate Levi more, and the Lance Corporal silently began clipping his 3DMG back into place on his harness. Eren deflated on the bed, eyes downcast again. “I...Captain, I just really li-”

“You’ve wasted enough daylight as it is, Jaeger.” Levi interjected quickly, voice cold and heavy enough to linger in the tense silence between them. “You should be upstairs doing something useful, not taking a nap.” He spat, turning on his heel and promptly stalking from the cell. 

“I expect you to be back in the attic in fifteen minutes, cleaning. I’ll be up in an hour to check, and at least half of it should be fucking sparkling.” Levi didn’t wait for a response from the boy, hustling up the stairs in a mess of unwanted thoughts.


	3. Grime and Logic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Levi thinks and thinks and thinks, and Eren doesn't care either way. (Also known as; Eren gets physical and is clueless.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this got out so late, I had a very busy weekend (which included cosplaying Levi with my lovely gf as Eren). Anyways, here's the next chapter, and it's rather that of a filler, but the next will be longer and more plot-related, I promise!

It was completely unorthodox for Levi to be thinking of these things, let alone inappropriate in more ways than one. The boy was just that-only a boy. He was sixteen, and Levi was pushing thirty. It wasn’t legal, not that legality amounted to much these days, but still. Levi cursed himself silently as he sat in his office, nursing a cup of tea.

Petra had brought him a cup when he’d stormed from the basement and up the stairs, and sensing his irritation, simply left it on his desk and left without comment. The Corporal had already went through several sheets of paper towels in cleaning the available surfaces in his office, a nervous habit he’d picked up in training and never bothered to break.

He was strung out over Jaeger, and he found himself wanting the boy to feel the same. It was selfish of him, and he despised himself for even considering such things. Truth be told, the little infatuation he had with Jaeger had long since developed from a simple crush to a full-blown state of-dare he think it-affection. 

Levi hadn’t felt such things for anyone since he was first placed under Commander Erwin and had his time of adoration for the older man. It had eventually passed, though, and now they were good friends. Unfortunately, he didn’t see any way for that to happen with Jaeger.

Porcelain to his lips, Levi thoughtfully sipped at his hot tea, ankles crossed beneath his desk as he considered what to do. According to Petra, the boy had become agitated when his squad had attempted to separate them in order to bring Levi up to his personal quarters. The fact sent thrills through Levi, and he sneered down into his teacup before setting it delicately on the saucer and pinching the bridge of his nose.

He had to admit, it had been a little cruel to assign the boy the task of cleaning the entire attic by himself, but it did need to be cleaned and Levi was desperate to get Jaeger out from under his skin. It had worked so far, but he’d told the boy he would check on him. With a long suffering sigh, he climbed to his feet, knees creaking slightly under his own weight, and headed out to go find the boy. 

In the attic, Eren had started at the far end, piling boxes neatly in a corner before beginning to sweep the immense quantaties of dust into one lump in the middle of the floor. He didn’t notice the Corporal approaching until Levi wiped a finger through the grime atop one of the crates and brandished it for Eren to inspect.

The teen breathed in and promptly sneezed, the digit right under his nose and causing him to inhale dust. Levi made a disgusted noise and reached into his pocket to pull out a kerchieff, wiping his hand and making a sharp ’tch’ noise. 

“Oh, shi-I mean, Captain, sorry, I didn’t realize-” Eren stammered out, grip tightening on the broom he held enough to whiten his knuckles.

Levi waved his apology off with a dismissive gesture, gazing out across the room. “Intelligent to start from the far side.” He noted, lifting one dusty boxlid to peer in at its contents. 

Eren’s cheeks flushed and he nodded quickly, wiping his hair from his eyes. “Y-Yeah, I thought so too, sir.” 

Levi pursed his lips and set the lid back in place, turning to gauge the other in the soft light streaming through the slitted windows. His eyes roamed over Eren freely for a moment, and he nodded curtly almost to himself. “Yes, good. It seems you’ve learned something after all.” 

The boy opened his mouth to say something, then closed it with an audible clack of his jaws, directing his gaze to the floor. Levi narrowed his eyes as Eren worried his lower lip between his teeth, and he commented, “What is it, brat?”

Eren looked surprised, then blurted out, “When I was a Titan, I almost hurt you.” 

Levi blinked once at him, almost lazily. “Yes, I know.” Eren began to speak, but Levi quickly cut him off. “But, I was aware of the risk I took, and nothing too awful happened, so I’d say that it was a victory. In fact...I think it may be time for you to have some more freedom.”

Jaeger’s eyes lit up, and he beamed, setting the broom aside in order to rub his hands together. “You mean I don’t have to stay in the dungeon anymore?” 

“I mean you may have a cot in my quarters.” Levi responded coolly, trying to quell the traitorous voice in the back of his head chuckling darkly. 

Regardless to what he secretly wanted, their relationship would continue to be perfectly business-like and Levi would make no moves towards-

Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, Levi’s arms were full of a grimy teenager. Eren’s smile was pressed up against Levi’s neck, nose tip against the very edge of his cravat. Levi inhaled violently, coughing a little from the dust disturbed by their presence in the filthy attic. Jager simply nuzzled the side of his neck, and Levi swallowed heavily.

“Thank you, sir. You won’t regret it, I promise!” Jaeger stepped back and saluted him before merrily taking up the broom and beginning to sweep with renewed vigor. 

Levi blinked the dust from his eyes and nodded once, turning on his heel and stalking towards the door. “Finish in here and come to my office when you’re done.” He instructed sharply, heart still racing from the unexpected close contact. 

Eren gave a single, curt nod, beaming at the floor and continuing to sweep with a vicious energy that even Levi lacked when it came to cleaning. A tiny smile graced Levi’s face, back still to the other, and he exited quickly, eyebrows cinched together in an even more concerned manner than usual.


	4. Korowai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanji captured a Titan and she needs help with her experiments, so Levi's meeting with Eren is held-of temporarily.   
> (Long enough for our good Corporal to get his wits about him. Run-ins with death do that for him.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated really fast, guys! Love me! I'll probably get around to replying individually to comments sometime soon, and they mean a lot, each and every one! So thank you all, very much! They keep my muse churning out chapters. And I promise they're be more Eren/Levi interaction soon, and it's growing very shippy very fast.

When Levi stepped off of the last stair into the hallway, Hanji nearly collided with him. He backpedaled and ended up having to sit down on the second or third step, eyes minutely widening as she beamed at him and clapped her hands over his shoulders. 

“Corporal! Just the person I need!” She exclaimed, eyes burning with a sharp sense of control over the situation.

Levi felt he wasn’t going to be able to decline the ‘offer’ even if he wanted, but he was glad for the distraction. His palms were still a little sweaty from the unexpected physical contact with Jaeger, and maybe assisting Hanji with one of her Titan experiments would prove to be helpful in providing him with something else to do.

So instead of arguing with the fiery woman as he usually would, Levi nodded his chin down and stood, brushing off the backs of his thighs and concurrently wiping the lingering sweat on his pristine white pants. “Very well. What am I ‘needed’ for?”

Hanji’s grin intensified to nearly a feral brightness. “We caught a Titan!” She proclaimed, enlivened in her manner and tone.

“Oh?” Levi raised one perfect brow elegantly, matching her stride as she moved through the castle to the courtyard wherein a five-meter class Titan had been captured using the scientist’s harpoon-barrels.   
Obviously more than proud of herself and her squad, Hanji put her hands on her hips, approaching the straining Titan with confidence. She bent at the waist, shoving her face close to the creature’s. “Hi, you precious thing!” She greeted with a giggle punctuating the final syllable.

Levi raised his other eyebrow to accompany the other, still unsure how she could treat any such beast with such care. “What happened?” He inquired as the whir of 3DMG cables alerted him to Petra’s arrival. 

“It was wandering around the outskirts and Ms. Zoe decided to take her squad to catch it. There were no casualties, but somebody got knocked off balance and hit the wall.” Petra responded calmly and professionally. “He appears to be alright, though.” She added as seemingly an afterthought. 

“Good.” Levi said, still evaluating the ugly thing squirming under it’s binds. “Make sure that thing is properly restrained. We don’t want another accident.” He murmured to her, still facing forward as she turned and strode off to accomplish the task.

“Hanji, what do I need to do?” He called as he neared the vibrant woman. 

“I need you to open his mouth for me.” After a second of mutters from Hanji’s squad and Levi’s blank stare, she quickly continued. “I mean, I figured you’re the best here besides Commander Erwin, and I just wanted you to be the one to help, I mean, you deserve it, and stuff.” 

Levi simply stared.

“If you want to, Corporal.” She added sheepishly, eyes downcast for a minute before she readhered her gaze to the Titan before them.

“Very well.”

Hanji’s mouth opened and the Corporal raised a single finger, crossing his arms over his chest and taking a confrontational stance. “On a condition.” 

“What?” Hanji practically hissed, eyes bright and her face making it clear that she was eager to please.

“My squad is present and yours is on standby. The mouth is dangerous.” He stated, intending for nothing to happen without all safety precautions available taken. 

Hanji sucked in a breath, nodding as she called out the order for the squads to assemble in a literal triangle of protection around the Titan, which she informed Levi she had named Korowai. Much like Sawney and Bean, who she had named after an old-world cannibal, the Korowai were a tribe of Papua New Guineans who were discovered in the early 1970s and were known to live a cannibalistic lifestyle. 

Levi was surprised in what Hanji and the others had accomplished in such a short time. While he’d been inside cleaning and inspecting the castle, doing paperwork, thinking, and speaking to Eren, they’d managed to properly capture and tie down a Titan. Impressed, Levi made sure the squads were in position with a quick glance over his shoulder before drawing his dual blades and stepping forth.

The Titan-Korowari-made a groaning noise before lurching a little in his binds. Levi stood his ground, eyes narrowing, and slowly took another step forward. Korowai reciprocated by hissing and straining, mouth opening a little to breathe out heavily. Levi snatched the opportunity and jammed one of his swords into Korowai’s mouth.

Korowai made the most blood-curdling screeching noise Levi had ever heard-neglecting that of his past teammates being gorged upon. Levi ignored the awful noise and dug his second blade deeper than the first into the roof of Korowai’s mouth. 

The Titan writhed, and Levi simply ground his boot down into Korowai’s lip, using all of the strength his upper arms could provide to wedge the mouth open. Korowai wailed pathetically and Levi growled right back, his own upper lip lifted as he fought not to release his grip on the chafing leather of the sword grips.

Eventually Korowai stilled, and by that time, Gunther and Erd were flanking him, also using their 3DMG blades to keep the Titan’s mouth pulled wide. Hanji stepped forward, a large syringe gleaming in the sunlight, and bravely-or foolishly-climbed into the Titan’s mouth. Korowai began to act up again, tongue bouncing in his mouth until it pinned her to the roof.

Kanji shrieked and jerked her arm back, sliding the syringe deep into the Titan’s gums. Kanji back-pedalled, and Levi lept forward, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her out. She fell back onto him in a soggy, bedraggled heap, and he hit the ground with a thud. 

It took Levi a moment to free himself from the tangle of his 3DMG wires and her thrashing limbs, but he managed to do so without getting too filthy. However, his jacket was wet and he smelt awful, so he slowly peeled it off. 

Hanji crowed exuberantly, shaking both fists at Korowai’s face and beaming from the stone ground. The two members of Squad Levi freed their 3DMG, and Korowai snapped his mouth shut, shattering Levi’s blades down to the hilt. He stepped up and collected the handles, snapping a fresh pair of blades into place.

Korowai made a pitiful noise, and Hanji moved up, lifting the Titan’s lip to take the syringe. Levi stood on guard until she cleared the Titan’s snapping vicinity, then nodded. “If that will be all, I need to be off.” He stated wearily, turning and wandering back to the castle without another word.


	5. Cots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Supply closet shenanigans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, seriously, please comment? I don't know what you want if you don't tell me.

Levi found Eren waiting in his office, staring down at the courtyard-and more specifically, Korowai-from the spotless window. The Corporal entered silently, lips pursed, his soggy jacket draped over one of his arms, elbow crooked. 

“She named it Korowai.” He stated blandly, laying the jacket over the back of his chair. 

Eren jumped a little, turning to face his superior. “C-Captain!” He exclaimed, eyes wide and almost comical. 

“Korowai.” Levi repeated brusquely, beginning the tedious task of unclipping and detangling himself from his 3DMG.

“O-Oh.” Eren half-glanced out of the window again, then fixed his attention wholeheartedly on Levi.

“Take your gear off.” Levi instructed, leaving Eren without so much as a simple explanation.

Heat flushed into Eren’s face, and he looked down, swallowing noticeably and fumbling with the straps of his gear. By the time he dropped the two sheaths and the fan with a nasty clang, Levi had already gently set his gear aside, leaving only straps. Levi practically cringed at that and sent Eren a dark frown, moving to exit the office.

“I told you you would be staying in my quarters, but we’ve got to get you a cot.” Levi elucidated as they entered the hallway.

He outstretched one arm to catch the door, closing it firmly and resting his hand on it behind Eren’s head. “But there are rules.” He added, voice low and darker. 

Eren’s eyes widened again, the blush furiously intensifying. “I-I...yes, sir.” He stammered out, lips parted slightly as if inviting the Corporal to ravage his mouth.

Levi’s knuckles began to whiten as he formed a fist against the doorframe. “You will not leave any mess. And you have your cot and you may walk across the room to enter and exit, and use my desk in my office with permission, but that is all. Do not touch anything of mine unless I say you may, and do not touch me.”

Eren sucked in a deep breath, then exhaled shakily, head nodding in a stupefied manner. “Y-Yes, Corporal Levi, sir.”

Levi could feel the teen’s harsh breathing against his mouth, and his own heart rate was speeding up due to the proximity. He was so close. Only a few inches, if he stood on the tips of his toes, letting his arm slide down to brace himself on Jaeger’s shoulder, they could kiss. As a familiar heat began to pool in his gut, Levi ripped himself away and began to stalk down the hallway, shoulders hunched slightly and his mind swimming.

It had been absolutely exhilarating, pressing so close to Jaeger’s body. He wanted the boy, and it was awful. Every moment in his presence was sweet torture, and Levi didn’t particularly understand why he was subjecting himself to such struggle.

He could hear Eren’s frantic footfalls after him in a jog after a moment, and he breathed out roughly in a huff, trying to dispel the boy’s scent from where it lingered in his nostrils. He’d smelt of cleaning supplies and sweat, and it had been intoxicating.

Shaking his head a little and swallowing, Levi turned the knob of a inconspicuous door and opened it, revealing a plethora of mops, buckets, sponges, dustpans, and many chemicals used to clean. Behind all of this lay a pair of cots, dusty and unused for many months. 

Levi nudged a stack of buckets out of the way and stepped over a mop handle, beginning to edge his way through the cleaning supplies. Eren entered behind him, head cocked a little to the side, and watching the Corporal. 

Levi could practically feel Eren’s eyes roaming over his lithe form, and his face warmed in a not-quite aroused blush. He tried to stamp out the feeling and continued to maneuver through the handles and such, but in his distracted state of mind, his foot caught on something and he pitched forward.

“Corporal!” Eren shouted in a rush, lurching forward and grabbing at Levi.

Levi’s chin collided with the dusty cot nonetheless, the added body weight of Eren pushing them both to the floor in a jumbled sprawl of limbs. Levi sneezed and made an ‘oof’ sort of noise as he found himself pinned face-first against the ground, cheek pressed to a sponge and his arms awkwardly positioned tucked under his sides.

Eren had managed to get himself tangled in Levi’s 3DMG straps, the leather and buckles entwining with his own. He coughed a little in the dust-filled air, holding himself up with one hand over Levi’s back. His hips were pressed up against Levi’s apparently perfect ass, and he struggled even more to free himself.

As he blearily recovered, Levi squirmed under the other, one arm snapping up to shove Eren blindly. Knocked off-balance, the recently graduated trainee swayed and fell, dragging Levi with him so they were spooning on the floor in a continued tangle. 

“Jaeger!” Levi spat, writhing and only succeeding in getting them more wrapped up.

Eren exclaimed a string of apologies, one arm slid between them and his wrist at a peculiar angle. Frantic to free himself, Levi bucked a little and got on his hands and knees, back arching, and he managed to collect his wits.

“Damn stupid brat, I said don’t touch me!” Levi snarled, elbowing the other in the solar plexus. 

The Titan-shifter cried out and jerked away from him, screwing his eyes shut. “Shit, Captain!” He snapped, tugging back rough enough to snap the leather of his 3DMG straps-or at least those attached to Levi’s.

Levi fell forward, no longer restrained by Eren’s dramatic wriggling. He collided with the ground face-first again, growling in pain and recognizing the blush blooming out over his face. Eren was just as red, and he hurriedly scooted back, only resulting in knocking some pole over.

He recoiled as it knocked him on the shoulder with a thump, and he mewled a little, shimmying over so he was sitting hip-to-hip with the now upright Corporal. Levi fixed him with an infuriated glare, arms crossed tightly over his chest.

“Get your own fucking cot, and clean up this damn mess.” He snapped, standing and wiping the filth off of his immaculate shirt the best he could as he flicked his eyes down before leaving. 

Eren was left on the ground, eyes wide and looking lost, and he slowly followed the other’s gaze down to his lap. Oh. Fuck. He was sporting a rather obvious, Levi-inspired erection. Blushing in embarrassment, he clapped a hand over his mouth and climbed to his feet, mind whirling.

Shit, shit, shit.

Now he had no chance to get with the Corporal, who probably thought he was a hormone-addled idiot. Eren looked around for a second before slamming the door. The solid click of the handle latching was some solace, and he exhaled thankfully. 

It had been a long time since he’d done anything remotely related to touching himself, with all the heading through the wilderness and being shuffled through the care of the Survey Corps and being stuck in a dungeon. The thought sent a thrill through him. Damn, everything was about Levi nowadays.

Eren swallowed weakly and bit down onto his lower lip before crouching and beginning to clean up. Damn, everything was about cleaning these days. He rolled his eyes a little and sighed, because honestly, Levi and cleaning were one and the same. 

After a few minutes of fidgeting awkwardly through righting the closet, Eren realized he was going to have to take care of his little problem before dragging the cot to Levi’s quarters. Fuck.


	6. I'm Going to Die and It's Jaeger's Fault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi might have over-reacted and gotten himself into a bad situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I'm so sorry for not updating in so long! I just didn't have any inspiration for the fic. Thank you for the comments and kudos though!

Mind whirling, Eren shakily began to clean up the mess they’d made by pitching themselves all over the supply closet. He couldn’t help but lose himself in an anxious flurry of thoughts as he moved almost animatronically, and he felt horrible. He’d messed up his only chance at getting with the Captain, and damn, was he made at himself.

He’d lain down all his chips for this chance, and Levi had pinned him to the door to order him around. The Captain may have been his superior, but there was something specifically hot about the close to physical contact. 

A shiver ran through him, sending heat to his now aching arousal. The 104th graduate inhaled sharply and took a step back from everything, vision hazy from his eyes’ fierce dilation. He hissed a little, then closed the door of the closet firmly behind him.

Meanwhile, Levi had stormed all the way out of the castle, only pausing by his room to re-attach his 3DMG. Stalking briskly into the stables, he ignored the questioning looks of some of the 104th cadets, quickly heading to his assigned horse. He tacked up and mounted the gelding with practiced ease, kicking the bay into a canter right out of the stall and nearly mowing down the cadets a second time.

The wind swept his hair back from his face, snapping his cloak out behind him and harshly pulling at his clothes. Levi ground his teeth, falling into a two-point position as the gelding picked up speed. 

With the sound of hooves pounding faintly against the grassy plain beneath them, Levi guided the horse into the patch of forest alongside the castle that served as Survey Corps HQ. The shadow caused by the pine boughs high above him cast the Corporal’s face into darkness, and eventually, he stopped them, pulling back on the reins and breathing as heavily as the gelding.

Eyes closing as the halted completely, Levi sagged in the saddle, dropping the reins for a moment to place his palms flat on the cantle and back lean on his hands. The gelding, trained well and accepting of the sudden departure and halt, simply dropped his head to graze in the sparse vegetation underfoot.

Levi exhaled shakily, long and slow, before tipping his head back. The gelding shifted under him, snorted softly and looking up as well, ears perking. The Corporal opened his eyes, peering forward to watch as the conical ears twitched before pinning back against his head, flat and nervous.

A dull roar echoed through the forest and the gelding reared, throwing Levi back off of him. He cried out and hit the ground with a painful thud, the air expelled from his lungs. A Titan-a seven meter class-stepped out from the tree coverage and spooked the gelding again, causing the horse to skitter and go tearing off through the underbrush. 

Levi’s leg, which had been extended and upraised, released a sickening crack as his ankle twisted and released from the stirrup from where it had been caught. He screamed and choked a little on his cry, than struggled to sit up, fumbling with his 3DMG before shooting his grappling gun.

Using the machinery he swung up into the tree and hit the branch awkwardly, clinging and scrambling up onto the oaken level. A burning hand enclosed around his lower body, almost casually pulling him away. Nails ragged and bloody from trying to hold on, he was heaved from his last attempt at saving himself.

I’m going to die, he thought. I’m going to die and it’s all Jaeger’s fault.


	7. Sprain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi finds out what's wrong with him thanks to Erwin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi!centric again, second update in the day to make up for the past few weeks. Please comment? I'm sorry the first update was so short this morning, as is this one. Also I have no experience with the mentioned injury in this chapter, I got my info off the internet.

The heat of the Titan’s hand was overwhelming, stealing Levi’s already captured breath as he clawed weakly, head fuzzy from where he’d been thrown. The Titan squeezed a little, as if testing the firmness of his meal. 

Levi gagged on the putrid stench emitted from the now gaping maw of a mouth beneath him. The man writhed, fighting the Titan’s grip fruitlessly. As if mocking him, the Titan’s arm rose far above his head, hovering over the dark, wide smile. The fingers shifted under him and then Levi was free-falling through the air.

Levi barely recognized the singing of 3DMG cables before he was knocked off trajectory by a solid impact. A pair of strong, capable arms encircled his waist, gathering him against a muscled chest as he and his savior sailed up to perch upon a wide, high tree branch. 

Now farther up than the Titan could reach, Levi ground his teeth together and hissed as his bad ankle was forced to support his weight. Suddenly, he was faced with Erwin’s steely gaze, the taller man scowling at him. “What the fuck were you thinking?” He spat, eyes narrowing.

Levi just shook his head, the skin around his eyes crinkling with upset as the weariness from everything that happened began to settle over him. Erwin scoffed and picked him up bridal style, arching off the branch and neatly landing beside his waiting horse.

Settling Levi in the saddle, he said firmly, “Go back and wait for me in my office,” before slapping the horse’s hindquarters and sending them off back to the castle.

The shorter man watched over his shoulder as Erwin turned to face the approaching Titan, clinging to the chaffing saddle with his thighs as he didn’t want to use his ankle to support himself in the saddle. When he turned back, Mike and Petra both thundered past him on identically tacked horses.

The three easily fell the Titan within moments, and Levi bowed his head in shame, entangling his hands in the reins and mane of Erwin’s horse and gripping the saddle with his legs tightly. The other soldiers flanked him just as surely, Erwin on Levi’s own horse, who’d come obediently to his whistling once the Titan was incapacitated.

Levi could feel Erwin’s disappointment, Petra’s concern, Mike’s curiosity. It was almost infallible, the solidity of their stares as they rode back to HQ in a protective formation around Levi. Ignoring the shooting pain originating in his most likely broken ankle, the Corporal allowed himself to be led into the courtyard.

Hooves clattering on the cobblestones, he heard Erwin brusquely asking for a medical evaluation of him. As he trembled, he slid from the saddle, purposefully placing all of his meager weight onto his bad ankle as a self-infliction of punishment for permitting his emotions to toy with his reactions so easily.

He wasn’t surprised when his leg gave out, sending him crumpling forward to grasp at the saddle to support himself. Erwin was behind him within seconds, offering an arm of assistance. More to show Erwin he was sorry for causing trouble than in a grateful manner, Levi took the arm and sagged a little, closing his eyes.

Erwin helped him hobble inside as Petra and Mike each took a horse to the stables, foregoing following the two until their steeds were watered and untacked. Silently, Erwin guided Levi into the medical wing, the small room wherein the supplies for medical emergencies-common out in the field-were stored. 

One of the specialized medical officers stepped in behind them, having been called by Erwin’s shouts. Erwin perched Levi up on the table, bending carefully to undo the straps and buckles of his boot. Levi grit his teeth and inhaled sharply, closing his eyes.

The medic quickly shooed Erwin away before beginning to gingerly inspect the wound, which hadn’t broken skin but was swelling quickly. Huffing, he shook his head, glaring up at Levi. “It’s sprained. You’re not to walk on it. Keep it propped up when you can. There’ll be no riding or fighting.” He said stiffly.

Levi’s eyes snapped open and he frowned back, looking infuriated. “What? For how long?” He spat, crossing his arms over his chest even as his ankle throbbed in protest at the movement.

The medic ignored his question to prod a little with his thumb at his foot. “It’ll be tender and stiff, but it should be fine. You’re going to have to rehabilitate it, but it should be fine in about six weeks.”

“Six weeks?!” Levi cried, looking horrified as he turned his gaze at Erwin. “What?!”

Erwin inclined his head slightly and leveled Levi with a firm, cool look. “This will be your punishment. I don’t know what you were doing or why, but you will not leave these headquarters unless absolutely necessary for six weeks, starting tomorrow. And you will proceed with your duties as Eren Jaeger’s personal guard.” 

Levi gawked at the blond for a moment, than nodded, eyes closing as he lowered his head in a sign of defeat and acceptance. “Yes, sir.” He muttered, saluting half-heartedly as the medic began to bandage his ankle and apply a cold, wet rag.

Sighing softly, Erwin clapped Levi lightly on the shoulder. “Come find me when you’re ready.” He said gently, turning on his heel and taking his leave.

By the time the medic was done lecturing him, Levi was more than ready to be done as he hobbled along on makeshift crutches and let Mike assist him up the stairs and into his office, where he was surprised to not find Jaeger or a cot.


End file.
